Alpha 2-antiplasmin (or α
2-antiplasmin or plasmin inhibitor) is a
serine protease inhibitor
Serpins are a superfamily of proteins with similar structures that were first identified for their protease inhibition activity and are found in all kingdoms of life. The acronym serpin was originally coined because the first serpins to be i ...
(serpin) responsible for inactivating
plasmin
Plasmin is an important enzyme () present in blood that degrades many blood plasma proteins, including fibrin clots. The degradation of fibrin is termed fibrinolysis. In humans, the plasmin protein (in the zymogen form of plasminogen) is encode ...
. Plasmin is an important
enzyme
Enzymes () are proteins that act as biological catalysts by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecules known as products. A ...
that participates in
fibrinolysis
Fibrinolysis is a process that prevents blood clots from growing and becoming problematic. Primary fibrinolysis is a normal body process, while secondary fibrinolysis is the breakdown of clots due to a medicine, a medical disorder, or some other ...
and degradation of various other proteins. This protein is encoded by the SERPINF2 gene.
Role in disease
Very few cases (<20) of A2AP deficiency have been described. As plasmin degrades blood clots, impaired inhibition of plasmin leads to a bleeding tendency, which was severe in the cases reported.
In liver
cirrhosis
Cirrhosis, also known as liver cirrhosis or hepatic cirrhosis, and end-stage liver disease, is the impaired liver function caused by the formation of scar tissue known as fibrosis due to damage caused by liver disease. Damage causes tissue repai ...
, there is decreased production of alpha 2-antiplasmin, leading to decreased inactivation of
plasmin
Plasmin is an important enzyme () present in blood that degrades many blood plasma proteins, including fibrin clots. The degradation of fibrin is termed fibrinolysis. In humans, the plasmin protein (in the zymogen form of plasminogen) is encode ...
and an increase in
fibrinolysis
Fibrinolysis is a process that prevents blood clots from growing and becoming problematic. Primary fibrinolysis is a normal body process, while secondary fibrinolysis is the breakdown of clots due to a medicine, a medical disorder, or some other ...
. This is associated with an increase risk of bleeding in liver disease.
[Sattar, Husain. ''Fundamentals of Pathology''. Pathoma LLC, 2011, p. 36.]
Interactions
Alpha 2-antiplasmin has been shown to
interact
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with:
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Neutrophil elastase
Neutrophil elastase (, ''leukocyte elastase'', ''ELANE'', ''ELA2'', ''elastase 2'', ''neutrophil'', ''elaszym'', ''serine elastase'', subtype ''human leukocyte elastase (HLE)'') is a serine proteinase in the same family as chymotrypsin and has bro ...
Plasmin
Plasmin is an important enzyme () present in blood that degrades many blood plasma proteins, including fibrin clots. The degradation of fibrin is termed fibrinolysis. In humans, the plasmin protein (in the zymogen form of plasminogen) is encode ...
.
See also
* Serpin
Serpins are a Protein superfamily, superfamily of proteins with similar structures that were first identified for their Protease inhibitor (biology), protease inhibition activity and are found in all kingdom (biology), kingdoms of life. The acr ...
References
Further reading
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External links
* The MEROPS
MEROPS is an online database for peptidases (also known as proteases, proteinases and proteolytic enzymes) and their inhibitors. The classification scheme for peptidases was published by Rawlings & Barrett in 1993, and that for protein inhibitor ...
online database for peptidases and their inhibitors
I04.023
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{{Alpha globulins
Serine protease inhibitors
Fibrinolytic system